Environmental Science Final Exam Study Guide
1.
Name: ____________________________________________
Label the major biomes indicated on the following map. Briefly characterize each according to major biotic & abiotic factors.
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
Label the following diagram using the following terms: latitude, altitude, warmest, coldest (use twice), taiga, temperate
deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, and tundra
increasing
2.
increasing
3.
What is the largest biome on earth? What is the most plentiful producer in this biome?
4.
Which terrestrial biome has the greatest biodiversity?
5.
How is biodiversity related to the stability of an ecosystem?
AHS Davis/Greig 2015
1
6.
Define abiotic. Give some examples of abiotic factors which would affect an aquatic ecosystem.
7.
Define biotic. Give some examples of biotic factors which would affect an aquatic ecosystem.
8.
What is an estuary?
9.
Explain the difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs. Give synonyms for both.
10. Write the ecological levels of organization in increasing complexity, beginning with organism.
11. Define primary succession. Where does it occur? Name some pioneer species associated with primary succession.
12. Define secondary succession. What distinguishes it from primary succession? Name some events that can trigger secondary
succession.
13. A wildfire completely burns old-growth forest in Georgia to the ground. Starting with the first colonizers, list the typical species
that would predominate over time as the area once again reaches a climax community.
14. For the following food chain
a.
If DDT were sprayed in the environment to kill mosquitoes, how might the owl be affected? What two phenomena
related to DDT are responsible for this effect on the owl?
b.
What is the likely effect on the food chain if pesticides kill all the grasshoppers?
15. Define & give an example of each:
a. commensalism
b. mutualism
c.
parasitism
d. predation
16. What is an ecological niche? What happens if two species try to occupy the same niche?
AHS Davis/Greig 2015
2
17. Fill in the blanks on the following cycle diagrams:
18. List some ways that humans have disrupted the natural balance of the carbon cycle.
19. What is the role of decomposers in a food web?
20. Place the following terms on the energy pyramid: primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, quaternary
consumer, producer, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, autotroph, heterotroph. (Some words may be used more than once.)
21. Explain the 10% rule of trophic efficiency & illustrate it on the above energy pyramid using arrows.
22. Suppose 375,000,000 kcal of energy are available at the producer level. Write the amounts of energy available to each trophic
level on the above pyramid.
23. What is the original source of energy for the producers in the above energy pyramid?
AHS Davis/Greig 2015
3
24. Shade the herbivores, circle the secondary consumers, and place a square around the tertiary consumers in the following food
web:
25. Define carrying capacity.
26. List some limiting factors that might determine the carrying capacity for a population of snowshoe hares.
27. Draw representative curves to illustrate
a. Exponential growth
b. Logistic growth (label the carrying capacity)
28. Explain the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Give examples of each.
29. Explain the “Tragedy of the Commons.”
30. Give an example of a “common” resource (see question 28), and list some ways that we as a society are protecting that
resource.
AHS Davis/Greig 2015
4
31. Explain why each of the following human activities is considered unsustainable. Propose a more sustainable solution for each.
a. overgrazing
b. overcropping
c.
deforestation
d. monoculture
32. Based on the following age structure diagrams
a.
b.
Which country is experiencing the highest rate of population growth?
Which country has been experiencing near-zero population growth for the longest amount of time?
33. Explain the I = P × A × T equation where I = human impact on the environment, P = population, A = affluence, and T =
technology. Be sure to give some examples of what is meant by “human impact on the environment.”
34. List some benefits of recycling.
35. Explain the greenhouse effect.
36. What human activities contribute to anthropogenic climate change (global warming)?
37. List some potential consequences of global warming.
38. What is the relationship between a country’s energy use and its standard of living?
39. Which form of biomass is the main source of energy in the world’s poorest countries? How is it used?
AHS Davis/Greig 2015
5
40. List major advantages and disadvantages for each source of energy. Note which are renewable and nonrenewable.
Source
Advantages
Disadvantages
Fossil Fuels
(coal, natural
gas, oil)
Biomass
Hydro Power
Solar
Wind
Geothermal
Nuclear
41. What causes acid rain?
42. Why is the stratospheric ozone layer important?
43. On the following image, identify lines of latitude and longitude and label the latitude of the North Pole and the latitude of the
equator.
AHS Davis/Greig 2015
6